No feasibility study was conducted for the new road link from Diamond to Eccles, East Bank Demerara, Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal has told the National Assembly.
In written responses to questions posed by opposition member Annette Ferguson on the project, Croal explained that the project was conceptualised during President Irfaan Ali’s leadership of the Ministry of Housing and Water almost a decade ago.
During that time, he said, designs for the alternative road link, which seeks to reduce the traffic congestion on the East Bank thoroughfare, was done by the projects department of the Central Housing and Planning Authority.
On that note, he responded in the negative to Ferguson’s question as to whether there was any procurement for consultancy services for design and supervision of the road linkage.
The minister further pointed out that funding for the road was catered for in the 2020 national budget under line item 1909100-Infrastructural Development and Buildings.
Earlier this year, the Ali-led government announced the construction of the alternative road link from Diamond to Eccles and later conducted a site and mapping exercise between Eccles and Mandela Avenue for a connecting road.
“Because of the immediate need to ease the congestion we are now building this alternative connection and interconnection… We are looking at a four-lane connection from Eccles to Mandela Avenue and hopefully by October, November we can have that ready,” President Ali said at the conclusion of his tour back in January.
The infrastructural project, which falls under the Ministry of Housing and Water, is being constructed in two phases.
The first phase, which has already been completed, is from Diamond to Herstelling and the second phase is from Eccles to Mandela Avenue.
The first phase of the project was constructed at a cost of $500 million. The cost of the road also includes lighting and signage.
The construction of the road has been completed but the ministry is awaiting the finishing of a bridge for the road to be opened fully to the public.
The first phase of the road construction was undertaken by three contracting firms – Annirud Ramcharitar Construction Firm, Guy-America Construction Inc, and Bardon Construction. Each contractor was awarded lots, with each lot having its own specifications.
In April, the ministry announced that six contracts were signed to the value of $2.3 billion for the Eccles to Mandela Avenue Highway.
The projects were allotted and awarded to Guyamerica Construction Incorporated ($555 million), MTSUL Construcoes Limited, M and P Investment Incorporated and Cobra Eireli ($364.4 million), Puran Bros. Disposal Incorporated ($360.2 million), Collin Talbot Contracting Services and Eron Lall Civil Engineering Works ($256.7 million), Aronco Services Incorporated ($471 million) and JS Guyana Incorporated ($352.4 million).
Croal during the signing of the project said it is expected to benefit more than 18,000 households in schemes under the Ministry and CH&PA. Referencing the $13.9 billion in contracts recently signed by the Ministry, he said that this is further evidence of the government’s commitment to transforming the lives of Guyanese.
The scope of works includes: land clearing and drain cleaning; construction of 5.5km of earthen drains and 200 meters of reinforced concrete drains; construction of reinforced concrete box culverts; 2.8km of four-lane rigid pavement carriageway (with two parking lanes; installation of solar street lights; and 12 reinforced heavy-duty composite bridges.
The road project is in no way connected to the India-funded Ogle to Diamond bypass road.
